Eleoteio railway



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. o. H. ARUDD.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 259,589. Patented June 13, 1882.

N. Prrns. Phnmuxhagmpher. wasmngxon, D, C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2.

c. H. RUDD ELECTRIC RAILWAY. No.v 259,589. Patented June 13, 1882.

Map/@nays l .l

Nrrnn STATES CHARLES H. RUDD, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMESW. WHITE, JAMES CLARENCE IVHITE, AND H. M. LEWIS, TRUSTEES, OF PHILADEEPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,559, dated June 13,1882.

' Application filed April 6, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. RUDD, ofEvanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to propelling cars, earriages, or vehicles uponrailways by means of electro-magnetism; and its object more especiallyis to propel upon a railway light carriages or vehicles particularlyuseful in transporting light packages or articles rapidly, safe ly, andeconomically from one place to another. The object of my invention alsois to improve electric railway propulsion generally; and it may bestated here at the outset that some of the improvements hereinafterdescribed and claimed may be used without the others, and also insystems differing in some of their features from that hereinparticularly described. The subject matter claimed is distinctly pointedout at the close ot' the specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which show so much of my improvedapparatus as is necessary to an understanding of my invention, myimprovements being organized in the best way now known to me, Figure lis a plan or top view of the carriage or vehicle and the system of railsupon which it runs, a portion of the body of said vehicle being brokenaway to show the driving-wheels mounted upon the nnder side thereof.Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the apparatus on the line or x ofFig. l, and Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line y y of said figure.Figs. 4 and 5 are side views of the interior of the respectivedrivingwheels for producing backward and forward movement of thecarriage over the rails. Fig. 6 is a view of the interior of one ot' thesupporting-wheels of the carriage, which is also particularly useful forsignaling or reporting purposes, in order to indicate to the operator ata fixed station the speed of the carriage and its position upon thetrack. Fig. 7 is a view showing a spring or yielding bearing for the xedshaft, around which the driving-wheels turn, and Fig. S is a similarview of a similar bearing for the revolving axle of the mainsupporting-wheels. Fig. 9 shows a plan and an edge view of one form ofrail which may be 5o used. Fig. 10 is a diagram of the system of railsand methods of running the circuits both to the driving and to thereporting or signaling wheels, and Fig. ll comprises a plan view and alside elevation of a modified form of apparatus.

The body or frame A of the car, vehicle, or carriage may be of anysuitable construction, and is mounted in this instance upon four wheels,B B B2 B3, each of which in the or- 6b ganization shown in Figs. l, 2,and 3 runs upon its respective rail C C C2 C3, said rails constitutingthe track over which the carriage is propelled. The wheels B B are iixedupcn an axle, D, so as to turn with said axlein bearings E E, suspendedor connected to the under side of the carriage, ear-body, or truckframe,as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and S. rIThe bearings E E ot' said axle Dare yielding bearings, and preferably consist each of a bearingblock, e,movable up and down in a bracket frame or box, e', iixed to the car bodyor truck by a metallic girder or frame, c2, a spiral or othersuitablespring, e3, being interposed between said block, which restsupon the axle D and said box so as to support the weight of vthecarriage or car-body, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 8.

The wheels B and B are what I term the main supporting-wheels of thecarriage or 8o ear A. Said wheel B is preferably a plain metallic wheel;orit may be composed of metallic side plates with a elly clamped betweenthem having a continuous metallic tire or band, as shown in Fig. 3,while the wheel B or its tire or tread is constructed preferably insections electrically insulated one from the other. I prefer toconstruct said wheel B of two circular metallic side plates or disks, bb', having suitable enlargements at their centers to af- 9o ford properstrength in their connection with the axle D, with which they turn, saidplates having securely clamped or fastened between them in any properway, so as to project beyond their peripheries, a circular rim or felly,bZ-say ot' wood or some other suitable insulating material-which actsmechanically somewhat in the manner of an ordinary wagonwheel felly. Ametallic tire, b3, nearly snrrounds this rim or felly b2, said tirebeing constructed, say, in two parts, 1 2, having their adjacent endsdivided and insulated, as clearly shownin Figs. land 6. One section-saypart 1-of said tire b3 is electrically connected with one of themetallic side plates or disks, b b', and through it to the axle D, asshown in Figs. 3 and G-by nzeans of a wire, 3, for instancewhile theother part, 2, of said tire b3 will be electrically disconnected fromsaid axle D by reason of the interposed non-conducting rim or felly b2,the object of which construction will presently appear.

The wheels B2 B3 are what I call the drivin g-wheels,77 and they arepreferably constructed somewhat similarly to the wheel B that is to say,they preferably consist each of two circular metallic side plates ordisks, b b', having clamped or otherwise securely fastened between themat their edges a circular rim or felly, b2, of wood or some othersuitable nonconducting material, said rim or felly extend ing out beyondthe circumference of said side plates or disks, so as to electricallyinsulate said disks and the shaft F, upon and around which they turn,from the rails upon which said wheels run. The rims or fellies of thewheels B2 B3 are provided on their peripheries with sectional metallictires, each tire preferably consisting ot' four sections,1 2 3 4, theadjacent ends of which are separated and insulated from each other, asclearly shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. Said wheels B2 B3 are tted by theirside plates to turn independently upon a fixed or non-rotating shaft, F.Said shaft F rests in bearings or blocks f, which have upand-down playin brackets or boxes f', spiral or other suitable springs,f2, beinginterposed between the blocks fand said boxes f in order to support thefront end of the body or truck of the car or carriage and affordyielding bearings for the shaft of said wheels B2 B3 correspondentlywith those of the wheelsB B. The metallic frame or girders f3 of thebearings of the shaft F are in electrical connection by contact or byconnecting pieces or wires (not necessary to be shown) with the similarframe or girders, e2, of the bearings of the axle D; or the respectivegirders e2 may be formed in one piece with the respective outsidegirders,

f3, if desired, so that a continuous metallic or conducting frame isformed between the axles D F and the platform or body of the car.

The metallic side plates or disks, b b', of the drivin g-wheels B2 B3should be sufficiently sep arated by their rim or felly b2 as to form between said rim and the shaft F, around which said wheels turn, acircular chamber, G.

Vithin the chamber G of each ofthe wheels B2 B3, vI preferably mount andsecure equidistant from one another four electro-magnets, H H H2 H3, asclearly shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, the poles of which face the fixedshaft F, which is provided at one point within each chamber G with anarmature, I, the shaft itself, other than its armaturesII, beingpreferably constructed of non-magnetic metal. From each insulatedsection l 2 3 4 of the `metallic tire of each of the driving-wheels B2B3 an insulated wire is run to one of the electro-magnets H H H2 H3, themethod of running the connections being clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5.It will thus be understood that the electromagnets are firmly fastenedupon the interior of the wheels B2 B3, and that each section of thedivided tire of each wheel B2B3 isconnected with its respective magnet.Said wheels B2 B3, as I have before stated, are the drivingwheels of thecar or vehicle. rlheir construction and action are similar, save in sofar as the electrical connections between the tire and magnets areconcerned. These connections are run differently, as clearly shown inFigs. 4 and 5, the object of which is to rotate the wheel B2 in onedirection when its magnets are successively excited by a current ofelectricity traversing their coils, so as to propel the car or vehiclein one direction along the track, and to rotate the other driving-wheel,B3, in the opposite direction when the coils of its magnets aresuccessively excited, so as to propel the car or vehicle in the otherdirection along said track, the rotation of said wheels B2 B3 being dueto the successive attractive action of the electro-magnets exerted upontheir fixed armatures, each magnet of each wheel being excited in itsturn as its section of the tire comes upon the track to act upon thearmature and make the motion of the wheel constant about its shaft F bya current conveyed along the rails ofthe track, as will be fullyrexplained.

The rails on which the carriage runs in the organization shown in Figs.1, 2, 3, and 10 are four in number, and are preferably made in the formof the usual street-car rail, although it will be obvious other forms ofrails may be used and the wheels of the car or carriage provided withthe usual iianges. These rails are all insulated, so as to be goodconductors of electricity, and are the medium through which the electriccurrent is conveyed, which is converted into electromagnetism at thevehicle to propel said vehicle.

The arrangement on circuit is clearly shown in Fig. 10. A generator orsource of electricity, J, has its negative pole connected with the railC', while the positive pole of said generator may be connected by aswitch, J', with either of the rails C2 G3, accordingly as it is desiredto propel the carriage in one direction or the other. A second generatoror source of electricity, K, has its negative pole connected with therail C', while its positive poleis connected with the rail G,it beingthus understood that I prefer to utilize the rail U as a commonreturn-conductor for the currents of both the generators J and K, whichare employed for diierent purposes, the generator J being utilized topropel the car or vehicle, while the IOO IZU

generator K is utilized for reporting purposes, so as to indicate bysuitable apparatus, L, the speed of the car and its location upon thetrack.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Suppose the car or vehicleis at one end of the track, and it is desired to propel it forward tothe other end or to any intermediate station. The engineer in control ofthe switch J will new turn said switch so as to make contact with theconnection ot` the insulated rail G3 and throw a powerful current alongsaid rail. The insulated section of the tire ot' the driving-wheel B3,resting upon the track, will conduct said current to its respectiveelectromagnet, which, being thereby excited, will exert its attractiveaction upon the armature I of the shaft F, and will pull said wheelaround, turning it in a forward direction, as indicated by the arrow,Fig. 5. As soon as the section ot' the tire passes from the track theelectrical connection between the rail and the magnet which has justbeen at work is broken, while the next magnet is simultaneously' throwninto action to exert its action upon the armature and make the motion ofthe wheel constant, and so on. The circuit is completed from the rail C3successively through each working niagnet of the wheel B3 to the returnconductingrail C by means ofthe sectional tire, the connections z' i',the metallic side plate or disk ot the wheel, the shaft F, the metallicbearings of said shaft, a metallic connection (or frame f3 e2)connecting said bearings with the metallic bearings E of axle D, saidaxle D, and the wheel B. It will be understood, however, that theconnections from the magnets of the driving wheel or wheels to thereturnconductor may be organized in many different ways. When themovement of the carriage is to be reversed the switch J is shifted so asto withdraw the current of the generator from the rail C3 and throw itupon the rail C2 and through the magnets of thc wheel B2, theconnections between the sectional tire of the wheel B2 and its magnetsbeing run so that the direction of rotation of the wheel B2 will be thereverse of that of the wheel-B3. (See Figs. 4 and 5.)

From what has been said it will be seen that the operator or engineermay at will produce either forward or backward motion of the carriagefrom the station at which he is situated by throwing into action eitherone of two motors carried by the vehicle, and this control is verydesirable.

In order to indicate the speed ofthe carriage along the track and toshow its position to the operator, I have organized the wheelB, as here-:inbetore described,torun upon the conductingrail C. The current of thebattery or generator Kis thrown upon said rail G when the circuit isclosed. At the times the section l of the tire of the wheel B is on therail the circuit of the said generator K will be closed, aconducting-connection beingformed by the tire section l, its wire 3, theplate or disk b of the wheelB, the aXleD, and wheel B to thereturnconductor C', which, as before stated, is connected with thenegative pole ofthe generator.

In the circuit ot' the generator K, I place a suitable apparatus, L, todenote the presence or absence of a current of electricity. Any suitableapparatus, of which there are many forms well known to electricians andin common use, maybe employed for this purpose, and I have therefore notshown any particular one in detail. From what has been said as to theconstruction of the wheel B it will be obvious that during its rotationthe circuit ofthe batteryK will be made and broken, and this will causeelectric impulses or waves to be thrown upon said circuit and indicatedor recorded at L, the rapidity of which impulses or waves will be anindex as to the speed of the vehicle.

ln order to indicate the position of the carriage on the track, sectionsor portions of the surface ot the rail (l (see Fig. 9) for any desiredlengths may be electrically insulated in well-known ways, so as toprevent the current of electricity of battery K from passing to thewheel B, but not preventing said current from being conducted to othersections of the track which permit the closing and breaking of thecircuit through the wheel B, as before de- 9 scribed. This constructioncauses the waves of electricity produced by the wheel B to cease atintervals, and by noting or recording these intervals the distance thecarriage has traveled may be readily ascertained. Other waysot'insulating particular sections or lengths of the track obviously maybe employed.

In Fig. 11. I have shown a modified organization of apparatus, and thesemodifications or changes I will describe.

In the organization shown in Fig. 1l. the wheel B is constructed so thatit (or its periphery) is insulated entirely from its axle D inwell-known ways, and said wheel runs upon the same rail, C3, as thedriving-wheel B3, there being in this organization but three rails, aswill be clearly seen on inspecting the drawing. The driving-wheel B2runs upon its rail G2, as in the organization first described, while thesupporting-wheel B is a plain metallic one in electrical connection withits axle D, and runs upon the rail C, which in this modifiedorganization is the return-conductorfor both the generators J and K. Inlieu of the conductingrail C of the organization first described, thereis connected with the generator K a rod or wire or other conductor, M,suspended overhead from suitable posts or supports, N, along the line ofthe track, said conductorM having suitable contact points or places, m,along its length to make contact at determined intervals with a contactpiece or spring, a, placed on the carriage or car A, said contact-springa being electrically connected with the axle D, and through its wheel Bwith the return-conductor O. By knowing the number of electric waves orimpulses to be produced by the con- IOS tact of the conductor M with thecontact-spring a to the mile the position of the carriage on the trackmay be constantly known, together with its rate of speed, and theseindications may be indicated or recorded by suitable apparatus, wellknown to electricians, as before stated.

From the foregoing description of my invention it will be understoodthat an operator stationed at a fixed point may operate and coutrol oneor more cars or carriages upon an electric railway, while as thecarriage moves along thetrack it reports itself to the operator, and theoperator is therefore constantly informed as to the speed and positionofthe carriage.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the details ofconstruction which I have described and shown.

I do not claim herein any of the improvements shown and described by merelating to the apparatus and organizations for recording the speed andposition of the car or train upon the track, as these improvements willconstitute the subject-matter of a separate application.

What I claim as my invention is l. The combination, substantially ashereinbefore set forth, of a carriage with one or more of itssupporting-wheels divided at its periphery into electrically-insulatedsections.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbetore set forth, of a wheeldivided into electrically-insulated sections with electro magnetscarried by said wheel and electrically connected with said sections.

3. The combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a wheeldivided into electrically-insulated sections, a non-rotating shaftaround which said wheel turns, electro-magnets carried by said wheel andelectrically connected with its insulated sections, an armature fixedupon the said non-rotatingshaft, and circuit-connections, including asource of electricity, to convey'current to excite said electromagnetsand cause them to act upon said armature.

4. A wheel composed of a body portion, a rim or felly of non-conductingmaterial to insulate said body portion from a rail upon which the wheelruns, and asectional conducting-tire, one or more of whose sections arein electrical connection with said body portion, and through it with theaxle or shaft of said wheel.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of anon-rotatin g sh aft., a hollow wheel fitted to turn around said shaft,electro-magnets carried by and inclosed within said wheel, and anarmature fixed upon said shaft within said wheel, so as to be acted uponby said electro-magnets when excited.

6. 'lhe combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of acarriage, a track upon which said carriage runs, two elcctromotorsforming part of said carriage, one to move said' carriage in a forwarddirection and the other to lnove said carriage in a backward direction,a generator of electricity, circuit-connections, and switch mechanismforming part of said connections to throw either one ot' said motorsinto action.

7. The combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of arailway-carriage having two electromotors, separate insulated rails forthe driving-wheels of said carriage, an electric generator to throwcurrent upon either of said rails to propel said carriage, and aseparate return or third conductor for the current traversing either oneof said insulated rails.

The combination,substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a vehicle, ashaft of said vehicle, an electromotor wheel revolving around said shaftto propel the vehicle, and a rail between the main rails of the vtrackupon which said motor-wheel travels.

9. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of avehicle, electro-magnetic mechanism mounted on said vehicle so as topropel it, a generator at a xed station snpplying electricity to saidmechanism, and a switch device by which said propelling mechanism iscontrolled, so as to enable the operator at a fixed station to produceeither forward or backward motion of the vehicle at will.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto subscribed my name this 22d day ofMarch, A. D. 1882.

CHARLES H. RUDD.

Witnesses:

GEORGE WALKER, CARL FooKE.

